The form of government in the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland for several centuries has been a parliamentary monarchy. Queen Elizabeth 2 has been on the throne since February 6, 1952. This name is associated with the greatness and power of the country. But what is Elizabeth's true role in government, and why are the British so proud of their permanent ruler?
On April 21, 1926, a daughter was born to Prince Albert, Duke of York and Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon - the future Queen of England. In London, where the family lived, a memorial plaque was installed on Bruton Street. The heiress was christened Elizabeth (in honor of her mother) Alexandra (in honor of her great-grandmother) Maria (in honor of her grandmother). The British monarch belongs to the Windsor dynasty.
Prince Albert, Elizabeth's father, second in line to the throne, became King George VI after his elder brother Edward VIII abdicated the throne. Thus, Elizabeth acquired the status of "heir presumptive" ("prospective heir"). This means that if later the king had a son, then the throne would belong only to him.
In 1947, the wedding of Queen Elizabeth II of Great Britain to Philip Mountbatten, an officer of the British Navy, a native of the Greek and Danish royal family. Great-great-grandson of British Queen Victoria and Russian Emperor Nicholas I, in order to marry Elizabeth, Philip had to become a naturalized citizen of Great Britain, change Greek Orthodoxy to Anglicanism, and renounce titles such as Prince of Denmark and Prince of Greece. For all this, George VI awarded him the title Duke of Edinburgh, Earl of Merionet and Baron of Greenwich.
George VI died on February 6, 1952. At this time, Elizabeth and her husband were just traveling. Princess Elizabeth returned from Kenya as a queen. The coronation ceremony of Elizabeth II, held on June 2, 1953 at Westminster Abbey, was broadcast for the first time on television, and photos were published in all newspapers. The first to take the oath of allegiance to the new queen was her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh.
The Queen has four children: three princes - Charles, Andrew, Edward and Princess Anne, all of them in the photo below.
Today Queen Elizabeth performs two important functions - she rules the state and the nation. As head of state, she performs duties such as attending the annual opening ceremony of Parliament, weekly meetings with prime ministers, receiving foreign ambassadors and delegations, and making official visits to foreign states to maintain her country's diplomatic and economic relations with others.
Most of the official powers of the monarch or the so-called "royal prerogatives" Queen Elizabeth of England performs only nominally, after a preliminary consultation with the Prime Minister and the Cabinet of Ministers - persons responsible to the House of Commons of Parliament. On practice most of prerogatives are exercised by UK Cabinet Ministers.
The Prime Minister is formally appointed by the monarch (a “kissing hands” ceremony), but in reality he is the head of the party who won the parliamentary elections. If none of the parties receives a majority, Queen Elizabeth has the right to appoint the Prime Minister herself. She used this opportunity only once, appointing Harold Wilson as Labor Prime Minister in 1974.
The monarch can exercise the right (on the advice of the prime minister) to accept a decree on the resignation of either ministers or the entire Cabinet (but British kings never use this prerogative). All laws considered by Parliament are adopted in the name of the monarch and take effect only after his formal approval. Also, the monarch has the formal right to convene, dissolve Parliament, and extend its validity. But in reality, Parliament, as stated in the 1911 Parliamentary Act, is elected for a term of 5 years and dissolves automatically upon the expiration of this term.
They take an oath of allegiance to the king, passports are issued on his behalf, the name of the country's anthem also speaks of the importance and reverence of the monarch - "God save the Queen." The Queen is depicted on banknotes, coins and postage stamps. As the head of the Royal Armed Forces, and has the formal right to wage war or conclude a peace agreement, ratify agreements and conclude treaties of international importance. Despite its venerable age, the royal family continues to fulfill its official duties.
The monarch in England is the Source of justice, therefore he appoints judges, the Source of honor, therefore he appoints (not without the participation of the Prime Minister) peers, awards various orders, knights and many other honors. As head of the Church of England, the monarch also appoints (again at the suggestion of the prime minister) archbishops and bishops.
Funding for the maintenance of the royal family since 1760 occurs according to the Civil List. That is, the income from the Crown Estate (royal inheritance) goes to the budget of Great Britain, and then is allocated to the needs of the royal family. The monarch even owns his estate formally, since it is impossible to sell it, but only to transfer it to the heir to the throne. The county of Lancasterhire is formally owned by the current monarch. The proceeds from it go to replenish the "personal wallet" of the ruler and are spent on needs, according to tradition, not recorded in the Civil List.
The public life of the future Queen of England monarchs began in the 40s. For the first time, she spoke on the radio to the children of England who suffered from the outbreak of the Second World War. In 1943, she officially appeared in public, meeting with the Guards Grenadiers. Later, Elizabeth was included in the list of five persons who were allowed to serve as monarch in case something happened to her father. And in the year of the Great Victory, the future monarch received the military rank of lieutenant and a working specialty - a driver-mechanic for a Red Cross car.
As Head of the Nation, Queen Elizabeth II performs important function cultural and social significance, ensuring national identity, symbolizing the unity and pride of the nation. She gives the people of the UK a sense of stability and confidence in the future. The ruler of England regularly visits various parts of the United Kingdom. The presence of the queen is mandatory at ceremonies dedicated to the Day of Remembrance of those killed in wars, at major sporting events.
Many remember the opening of the London Olympics in 2012, when the Queen appeared in a video with James Bond. She also opened the 1976 Summer Olympics in Montreal, Canada, as Canada's head of state. Thousands of congratulatory messages for subjects are sent by the royal office, they are addressed to those who celebrate their centenary and wedding anniversary (60 years). Every Christmas, Queen Elizabeth II makes a speech to her subjects.
The queen has no passport. A British passport is issued on behalf of Her Majesty, but she cannot give it to herself. All other members of the royal family, including the Duke of Edinburgh and the Prince of Wales, have British passports.
Queen Elizabeth II is the only person in the country who is allowed to drive a car without a driver's license and registration number.
Other official and unofficial titles of the Queen are: "Kotuku" - "Egret (in the Maori language)," Mrs. Kwin "(in the Pidgin language in Papua New Guinea). On the Isle of Man, she is the Empress of Maine, in the Channel Islands, the Duchess of Normandy, and in the Duchy of Lancaster, the Duchess of Lancaster.
Do you know how many thrones Queen Elizabeth II has? There are 9 of them. One is located in the House of Lords, 2 are in Westminster Abbey and 6 more are located in Buckingham Palace.
The queen should be above political battles, not publicly expressing her political views and communicating with the utmost correctness with all the prime ministers of the state. This also applies to members of the royal family, so their political views always remain unknown.
Queen Elizabeth II is the patroness of over 620 charitable organizations.
Starting with William the Conqueror, Queen Elizabeth II is the 40th monarch in Britain.
The British queen had over 30 corgi dogs. She received her first dog of this breed, named Susan, as a gift for 18 years. All other pets are descendants of the beloved Susan. The Queen unwittingly became the creator of a new breed of dog - the dorgi, which was the result of mixing her corgs with Princess Margaret's dachshund.
In 1976, Queen Elizabeth II sent her first email, and in 1997, the first official royal website was created.
Queen Elizabeth II is also a major employer: about 1,200 people work in royal residences (from kitchen workers to personal secretaries).
The Queen of England received more than 3 million letters during her entire reign.
At the moment, Queen Elizabeth II continues to be one of the main symbols of England and the whole of Great Britain. Having been in power for over 65 years, she has reliably strengthened the authority of the British monarchy, and has also become a real role model and a source of pride for millions of Britons.
Today, the most famous woman on the throne, Queen Elizabeth II of England, celebrates her birthday. Despite her venerable age, the queen continues to delight us with her appearances, is the constant heroine of our "Stylish Monarchs" column, gives valuable instructions to her heirs - Prince Charles and William, as well as to a young daughter-in-law - Kate Middleton. HELLO.RU congratulates Elizabeth II on her birthday and recalls 15 interesting facts about this legendary person.
Elizabeth II
1. Queen Elizabeth was born on April 21, 1926. At the time of her birth, she was third in line to the throne, then they could not even think about her future enthronement. Her father, George VI, began to rule after an unexpected abdication of power by her elder brother, King Edward, thus Elizabeth approached power.
Queen Elizabeth II with her mother Elizabeth I and father George VI
On the day of her father's death, 25-year-old Elizabeth was approached by her younger sister, Princess Margaret, and said: Does this mean that you will become queen? Poor thing!
2. Elizabeth was taught personally by her father, King George VI. Her teachers also included the Vice Rector of Eton and the Archbishop of Canterbury.
WITH early years Lilibet, as she was called at home, was a passionate and active nature. She really enjoyed learning languages. Thanks to foreign governesses, she became fluent in French as a child. At the age of 11, while still a princess, Elizabeth became a scout and then a sea ranger.
Elizabeth II in scout uniform, 19423.
Since childhood, the queen loves animals very much. She is a breeder of many purebred horses, often comes to see equestrian competitions, as well as races in which her horses participate.
Elizabeth II has been sitting on a horse almost from the very birth
Queen Elizabeth II with Prince Philip at the Hippodrome Also Elizabeth II adores dogs. Her favorite breed is the Welsh Corgi. The first puppy was given to her by her father for her birthday, since then she has had more than 30 corgi, each of which is a descendant of her first child - Suzy. The dogs live with the queen in the castle, travel in limousines and live in hotels.
Queen Elizabeth II with dog
4. The Queen met her husband, Prince Philip, at the age of 8. The son of a Greek prince was forced to flee his native country to England at the age of 1 in an orange box. Naturally, King George VI of Great Britain did not welcome his daughter's union with the "impoverished prince". According to rumors, Elizabeth herself achieved the location of Philip, with whom she was in love from an early age, and then made him a marriage proposal.
Elizabeth and Philip are engaged, 1947
5. The couple announced their engagement in 1947. The wedding of Princess Elizabeth and Lieutenant Philip Mountbatten took place on November 20, 1947. The celebration was attended by 2,000 invited guests. The wedding dress was made by designer Norman Hartnell, and the bride's head was adorned with a diamond tiara, which Queen Mary gave her as a child.
Wedding of Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip
After his marriage to the princess, Philip was not anointed king. When his wife ascended to the throne, he was the first to take the oath to her with the words:
I, Philip, Duke of Edinburgh, will become your vassal in sickness and health, I will serve you with faith and truth, with honor and respect, until my death. God help me.
61 years have passed since then, and Philip is still always and everywhere next to his queen.
6. Elizabeth II - Commander-in-Chief of the British Armed Forces. She herself holds all important meetings with the heads of the Commonwealth, and also visits military facilities during her visits to other countries. She prepares her son, Prince Charles, and grandchildren, William and Harry, for political affairs, but she does not yet trust them to make decisions.
Queen Elizabeth II with her firstborn - Prince Charles
7. Despite her steely character and talent for government, the queen does not forget about femininity. Bright colours dresses and costumes, which she prefers from a young age, give out in her a creative and mischievous nature.
A recognizable style, the main elements of which are a monochrome suit in a rich color, a matching hat, black shoes and a handbag, was formed at the very beginning of her reign. Now, despite her considerable age, the queen is not at all afraid of bright colors and still does not change her habits. As Karl Lagerfeld said, in order to become a recognizable person, you need to dress so that it is easy to draw a cartoon from you. Queen Elizabeth II has inspired both famous creators and cartoonists.
Queen Elizabeth II, 1986
8. Order surrounds the queen in everything, so it is not surprising that in the dressing room of Elizabeth II, all things have a serial number. The place and time at which the outfit was worn is also indicated there. Given the busy work schedule of the Queen, this is the only way she can avoid "fashion repetitions".
9. The Queen's working day is scheduled by the minute. At 7:30, a tray with a silver teapot, a jug of water and milk is brought to her bed. At 10:00 she starts her duties and finishes work around 23:00. First thing in the morning, she looks at the British daily newspapers and the racing magazine The Racing Post.
Elizabeth II, 2013
After that, out of hundreds of letters from subjects that came in a day, she chooses several that she reads, and then dictates to the assistant the answers to each of them. In the morning, the queen makes several appointments - with ambassadors, bishops, judges. Each takes no more than 15 minutes. In the evening, Elizabeth II meets with the Prime Minister and gets acquainted with the official papers. At the end of the day, she visits exhibitions, concerts and other events.
10. Queen Elizabeth II has a very large family: four children, eight grandchildren and three great-grandchildren. At a time when she is not busy with business, she loves to be at home with loved ones.
Elizabeth II with Prince Philip, three sons and a daughter
She spends several weeks in August and September alone. These days, the doors of Buckingham Palace are opening for everyone, and the Queen is leaving to rest in the Scottish Balmoral Castle. There she enjoys reading novels, doing crosswords and taking a bath. By the way, Elizabeth has a funny habit associated with the last pastime - the queen never takes a bath without her rubber duck.
Another favorite entertainment of the Queen on the weekend is "fiddling" with the dogs. Rumor has it that Elizabeth is very fond of combing their wool on their own and even looking for fleas from them.
11. The Queen is the only British resident who does not have a passport and license. However, this does not prevent her from actively traveling and driving a car. By the way, she first sat behind the wheel at the age of 19. With 67 years of driving experience behind her back, the Queen was spotted by the paparazzi behind the wheel in 2012. In a car, unaccompanied, Elizabeth II was returning from her Scottish residence, where she was hunting hazel grouses.
Queen Elizabeth II driving12
.When traveling, the weight of the queen's luggage can reach several tons. The record figure was recorded during the trip of Elizabeth II to a meeting of the heads of the Commonwealth of Nations in 1953 - the queen was carrying 12 tons of clothes. Considering the number of her dogs that travel with her everywhere, there are also tons of items to care for them.
Elizabeth II
13. Elizabeth II has a number of secret signs. For example, if during official events she puts her purse on the table, then it becomes clear to her attendants that the Queen wants to leave the meeting in 5 minutes. When she begins to twist the ring on her finger or shift the bag from one hand to the other, it means that communication with the interlocutor is bored with her.
Queen Elizabeth II
14.
The most difficult times in the life of the queen were 1992 and 2002. In the early 90s, the reputation of the monarchy was under attack due to the divorce of the Queen's heir, Prince Charles, from Princess Diana. And in 2002, the queen lost two loved ones at once - her sister Margaret and mother Elizabeth I.
Queen Elizabeth II with Princess Diana
15. Despite the fact that the Queen is 88 years old today, this event will be celebrated on a national scale only in the summer. According to the tradition that has developed over the years, the ruling monarch of Great Britain celebrates his birthday twice: directly on the day of the celebration with loved ones and relatives and on one of the weekends in June. It is in the summer that lavish festivities take place, people take to the streets to celebrate another year in the life and reign of the most popular monarch in the world.
Elizabeth II, Queen of Great Britain
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ELIZABETH II, Queen of England- From the Windsor dynasty. Queen of Great Britain since 1952. Daughter of George VI and Elizabeth. She has been married since 1947 to Philip, son of the Greek Prince Andrew (born 1921). Genus. Apr 21 1926 As a child, Elizabeth received a home education. Except… … All the monarchs of the world
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For more than 60 years, the unchanging symbol of Great Britain and concurrently the ruling queen of this country is Elizabeth II, who survived many world rulers, upheavals, scandals, and still remained not only a favorite of the British, but also a person followed by the whole world.
Elizabeth Alexandra Maria was born in 1926 on April 21 in a house in London. This event was not loud, because at the birth of the girl, no one even thought that she would become the heir to the throne. Elizabeth II was the granddaughter of the then reigning king, who was supposed to transfer the throne to her uncle or father, but not to her. Therefore, there was no excitement around the birth of Lilibet, as the family loved to call her affectionately, just another member of the royal family was born.
Elizabeth II was a quiet child. Her favorite pastimes were horse racing and dog breeding. She received an excellent education, as befits a member of the Windsor dynasty. She studied many subjects, but put special emphasis on jurisprudence, religious studies and art history. Elizabeth was also very interested in French.
Edward, Elizabeth's uncle, abdicated in favor of marriage with a twice divorced woman, and since, as king, he was also the head of the Church of England, such a marriage was forbidden to him. The next successor to the throne was Elizabeth's father, Albert Frederick (later King George VI), and suddenly at the age of 11, the girl became the direct heir to the throne, since she had no brothers. From Kensington, Elizabeth's family moved to Buckingham Palace, and after 3 years the Second World War began. Great Britain was one of the first countries to declare war on the Third Reich, and life in Europe changed dramatically.
Although the main political decisions in the United Kingdom were made by parliament, the royal family was still a symbol of the unity of the nation, it was on its shoulders the hard work to maintain the strength of the spirit of the country and faith in victory. King George VI regularly visited the troops, and Elizabeth took an active part in this, visited the grenadier regiment in 1943. A couple of months before the end of the war, Elizabeth II entered the army and today is the only ruler in the world that went through the Second World War, moreover, she is the only participant in World War II in the world who did not retire. In the army, she served as a driver-mechanic for an auxiliary ambulance, being listed in the women's self-defense squad. Until now, Queen Elizabeth II carries the rank of lieutenant.
In most cases, royals marry and marry those applicants who are beneficial to the country, and not for love. But in the case of Elizabeth II, everything was not so, and she, as in a fairy tale, found her love in her youth and defended her marriage with her beloved. Today we can see that this choice was correct, because the future queen fell in love once and for all her life.
With Philip, her future husband, Elizabeth met at the naval school. Although he was a Greek prince, he could not offer the future queen anything except the title and his love. And yet Elizabeth fell in love without memory, wrote letters to him throughout the war, and still defended the right to her love, becoming engaged to the prince. At the age of 21, Elizabeth II got married - it was on November 20, 1947. After the wedding, Philip received the title of Duke of Edinburgh and renounced his usual title of Prince Consort. Born in 1921, the Duke of Edinburgh is still in good health and accompanies the Queen at events. In 1952, the young went to rest in Kenya, and at the same time Elizabeth's father died. At that moment, she became Queen of Great Britain.
In the family of Elizabeth II and Philip, four children were born. Firstborn Charles (1948) is heir to the throne as the Queen's eldest son. He has a sister, Anna (1950) and brothers Andrew (1960) and Edward (1964). Today, the Queen has 8 grandchildren and 5 great-grandchildren, so the royal family is quite large.
The coronation of Queen Elizabeth II was followed literally by the whole world, as it was the first such event to use cameras. The 25-year-old ruler ascended the throne according to tradition at Westminster Abbey. After the ceremony, the queen, accustomed to travel, did not abandon her habit and visited primarily the member countries of the British Commonwealth. Just in the 50-60s of the last century, these states were granted independence, especially in Africa. At the same time, for the first time in history, the British monarch visited New Zealand and Australia, because Elizabeth II is still nominally the queen of these countries. If speak about state of the art Commonwealth of Nations, then Elizabeth II is still its permanent head. All organizational issues in the Commonwealth countries are resolved without her participation, she has become only a symbolic figure.
In addition to external affairs, the queen did not forget about the internal affairs of the country. She regularly met with representatives of parliament and discussed the pressing affairs of the state. In 1957, the first crisis erupted during the reign of the Queen - Anthony Eden, who was then Prime Minister, resigned, and since the party did not yet have worked out mechanisms for electing a leader, this issue had to be decided by the Queen. At that time, Elizabeth II often consulted with the legendary Winston Churchill, and at his suggestion the Queen proposed a new candidate for Prime Minister - Harold Macmillan, who was accepted into the post.
Throughout her long life and long reign, Queen Elizabeth II has experienced many hardships and even scandals. Yet in every situation she found the right words or actions with a truly British sense of dignity.
In 1979, Prince Philip's uncle, Louis Mountbatten, was killed, and a radio-controlled bomb was planted on his yacht by terrorists from the Irish Republican Army. On the same day, the radicals decided to deal with the British soldiers by organizing an attack on them. As a result, 18 people died.
After 2 years, the son of Elizabeth II, Charles, married Diana Spencer. Today we know that this marriage was not for love and ended tragically. Lady Dee, or Princess of Wales, was a favorite not only of Great Britain, but of the whole world, she led a rich charitable and social life. Even in spite of two children, the spouses did not find a common language and, according to both, cheated on each other. For the queen, such behavior was unacceptable, she insisted on the divorce of Charles and Diana, which took place in 1996. In 1997, Lady Dee was involved in a fatal car accident. After that, many condemned Queen Elizabeth II for her cold behavior during and after the days of mourning. Charles subsequently married his longtime love, the Duchess of Cornwall, Camilla Parker Bowles.
During the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, the Falklands War also took place, ending with the victory of Great Britain and the preservation of the archipelago as part of the United Kingdom.
The queen was also able to reconcile Catholics and Protestants in her country, because by tradition she is also the head of the Church of England. The conciliatory meeting of the Pope and the British Queen, heads of two churches, was followed by the whole world.
2017 was the 65th anniversary of the reign of Queen Elizabeth II, and this is a whole era.
The world does not stand still, and the UK is constantly changing. If back in the century before last, the power of the monarch was absolute, today all legislative issues are decided by the prime minister and members of parliament, but, again, only with the consent of the queen. "England", "monarchy", in the understanding of many, are synonymous words, and it is not unreasonable: the queen continues to play a major role in the life of the state - she has the right to declare war or conclude a truce, and it is to her that they bring the "oath of allegiance."
Elizabeth II in October 1942
“In general, no one taught me to be a queen: my father died too early and it happened so unexpectedly - I had to immediately get involved in the business and at the same time try not to hit my face in the mud. I had to grow up to the position that I took. It was fate, it should have been accepted and not murmured. I believe that continuity is very important. My job is for life. "
Elizabeth II, Queen of Great Britain
I wonder what it is like to celebrate your birthday for over 50 years twice a year? This question can be answered by Queen Elizabeth II, who was born on April 21, 1926 in London, and for many years now her birthday has been celebrated throughout the United Kingdom not only on April 21, but also on the 3rd Saturday of June.
Her Royal Majesty's title in the United Kingdom reads like this: "Elizabeth II, by the grace of God, Queen of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and its other dominions and territories, Head of the Commonwealth, Defender of the Faith."
Queen Elizabeth II ascended the throne on February 6, 1952, following the death of her father, King George the Sixth. The coronation took place on June 2, 1953 at Westminster Abbey. Elizabeth was only 25 years old when she became queen, and has been for several decades.
The birthday is lavishly celebrated every year at Windsor Castle. It begins with a walk around the city (if this action, of course, can be called that). A 21-round salute is certainly given, which sounds at noon.
Throughout her reign, the Queen has been criticized more than once not only by British Republicans, but also by various British media, as well as by the general public. Nevertheless, Elizabeth II was able to maintain the prestige of the British monarchy, and her popularity in Great Britain is at its height.
Royal
Elizabeth II (eng.Elizabeth II), full name- Elizabeth Alexandra Mary (English Elizabeth Alexandra Mary; April 21, 1926, London) - Queen of Great Britain from 1952 to the present.
Elizabeth II comes from the Windsor dynasty. She ascended the throne on February 6, 1952 at the age of 25 after the death of her father, King George VI.
She is the head of the British Commonwealth of Nations and, in addition to Great Britain, the Queen of 15 independent states: Australia, Antigua and Barbuda, Bahamas, Barbados, Belize, Grenada, Canada, New Zealand, Papua New Guinea, Saint Vincent and the Grenadines, Saint Kitts and Nevis, Saint Lucia, Solomon Islands, Tuvalu, Jamaica. He is also the head of the Church of England and the supreme commander in chief. armed forces Great Britain.
Coats of arms at different times and in different countries
Coat of arms of Princess Elizabeth (1944-1947)
Coat of arms of Princess Elizabeth, Duchess of Edinburgh (1947-1952)
Royal arms of Great Britain (except for Scotland)
Royal coat of arms in Scotland
Royal coat of arms in Canada
The full title of Elizabeth II in Great Britain sounds like "Her Majesty Elizabeth II, by God's grace of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland and her other kingdoms and territories, Queen, Head of the Commonwealth, defender of the faith."
During the reign of Elizabeth II in all countries that recognize the British monarch as their head of state, laws were adopted according to which in each of these countries the British monarch acts as the head of this particular state, regardless of their titles in Great Britain itself or in third countries. Accordingly, in all these countries, the title of the queen sounds in the same way, with the replacement of the name of the state. In some countries, the words “defender of the faith” have been removed from the title. For example, in Australia the title reads as follows: "Her Majesty Elizabeth II, by the grace of God, Queen of Australia and her other kingdoms and territories, Head of the Commonwealth."
On the islands of Guernsey and Jersey, Elizabeth II also bears the title of Duke of Normandy, on the Isle of Man - the title of "Lord of Maine".
History
Elizabeth II is the oldest British (English) monarch in history. She currently ranks second in history for the length of stay on the British throne (after Queen Victoria) and also the second in the world for the length of tenure as head of state among the current heads of state (after King Bhumibol Adulyadej of Thailand). She is also the oldest female incumbent in the world and the oldest incumbent in Europe.
He is the oldest operating monarch in the world since January 24, 2015, after the death of the King of Saudi Arabia Abdullah bin Abdul-Aziz Al Saud.
During the reign of Elizabeth II, a very wide period of British history falls: the process of decolonization was completed, which was marked by the final collapse of the British Empire and its transformation into the Commonwealth of Nations. This period also included many other events, such as the prolonged ethno-political conflict in Northern Ireland, the Falklands War, the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan.
Queen Elizabeth II, 1970
Public perception
At the moment, most Britons positively assess the activities of Elizabeth II as a monarch (approximately 69% believe that the country would be worse without the monarchy; 60% believe that the monarchy helps to raise the country's image abroad and only 22% were against the monarchy).
Despite the positive attitude of most of her subjects, the queen was criticized several times throughout her reign, in particular:
In 1963, when a political crisis broke out in Britain, Elizabeth was criticized for having personally appointed Alexander Douglas-Hume as Prime Minister of Great Britain.
In 1997, for the lack of an instant reaction to the death of Princess Diana, the Queen was attacked not only by the anger of the British public, but even by many major British media (for example, The Guardian).
In 2004, after Elizabeth II beat a pheasant to death while hunting with a cane, a wave of indignation from environmental organizations about the monarch's actions swept across the country.
Elizabeth II is the last representative of the so-called "old school" of monarchs: she strictly adheres to age-old traditions and ceremonies and never deviates from the rules of established etiquette. Her Majesty never gives interviews or statements to the press. She is in full view, but at the same time, she is the most closed celebrity on the planet.
Princess Elizabeth with her pet, July 1936
Childhood
Princess Elizabeth Alexandra Mary was born in Mayfair, London at the residence of the Earl of Strathmore at 17 Bruton Street. The area has now been rebuilt and the house no longer exists, but a memorial plaque has been installed on this site. She received her name in honor of her mother (Elizabeth), grandmother (Maria) and great-grandmother (Alexandra).
Eldest daughter of Prince Albert, Duke of York (future King George VI, 1895-1952) and Lady Elizabeth Bowes-Lyon (1900-2002). Her grandparents: on her father's side - King George V (1865-1936) and Queen Mary, Princess of Teck (1867-1953); maternal - Claude George Bowes-Lyon, Earl of Strathmore (1855-1944) and Cecilia Nina Bowes-Lyon (1883-1938).
At the same time, the father insisted that the first name of his daughter was like that of the duchess. At first they wanted to give the girl the name Victoria, but then they changed their minds. George V remarked: “Bertie discussed the girl’s name with me. He named three names: Elizabeth, Alexandra and Maria. The names are all good, I told him so, and about Victoria, I absolutely agree with him. It was superfluous. " Princess Elizabeth's christening took place on May 25 at the Buckingham Palace chapel, which was later destroyed during the war.
Queen Elizabeth II, 1930
In 1930, Elizabeth's only sister, Princess Margaret, was born.
The future queen received a good education at home, mainly in the humanities. Since childhood, she loved horses and equestrian sports. And also from childhood, unlike her more eccentric sister Margaret, she had a truly royal character. In the biography of Elizabeth II Sarah Bradford, it is mentioned that the future queen from childhood was a very serious child, who already then had a certain understanding of the responsibilities that fell on her as the heir to the throne and a sense of duty. Since childhood, Elizabeth loved order, so she, for example, going to bed, always put slippers next to the bed, never allowing herself to scatter things in the room, as is inherent in many children. And already as a queen, she always made sure that no extra light burned in the palace, personally turning off the lights in empty rooms.
Queen Elizabeth II, 1926
Photo of 1929, Elizabeth is 3 years old
Princess Elizabeth in 1933
King George VI and (1895-1952) and Elizabeth Angela, Duchess of York (1900-2002), with her daughter, future queen - Princess Elizabeth, 1929
Queen and daughters, October 1942
Princess at war
World War II began when Elizabeth was 13 years old. On October 13, 1940, she spoke on the radio for the first time - with an appeal to children affected by the scourge of war. In 1943, her first independent appearance in public took place - a visit to the regiment of guards grenadiers. In 1944, she became one of the five "state advisers" (persons entitled to perform the functions of the king in the event of his absence or incapacity). In February 1945, Elizabeth joined the "Auxiliary Territorial Service" - the women's self-defense squads - and trained as a driver-mechanic of an ambulance, receiving the military rank of lieutenant. Her military service lasted five months, which gives reason to consider her the last not yet retired participant in the Second World War (the penultimate was Pope Benedict XVI, who served as an anti-aircraft gunner in the German armed forces).
Princess Elizabeth (left, in military uniform) on the balcony of Buckingham Palace (left to right) her mother Queen Elizabeth, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, King George VI and Princess Margaret, May 8, 1945
Wedding
On November 20, 1947, Elizabeth married her distant relative, who, like her, is the great-great-grandson of Queen Victoria - Prince Philip Mountbatten, the son of Prince Andrew of Greece, who was then an officer in the British Navy. She met him at the age of 13, when Philip was still a cadet at the Dortmouth Naval Academy. After becoming her husband, Philip received the title of Duke of Edinburgh.
In November 2007, the Queen and her husband, the Duke of Edinburgh, celebrated their "Diamond Wedding" - their sixtieth anniversary life together... For such an occasion, the queen allowed herself a little liberty - for one day they retired with her husband for romantic memories in Malta, where Prince Philip once served, and the young princess Elizabeth visited him.
Four children were born in their family: the heir to the throne - the eldest son Charles Philip Arthur George, Prince of Wales (born 1948); Princess Anne Elizabeth Alice Louise (born 1950) Prince Andrew Albert Christian Edward, Duke of York (born 1960), Edward Anthony Richard Louis, Earl of Wessex (born 1964).
On December 29, 2010, Elizabeth II became a great-grandmother for the first time. On this day, her eldest grandson - the eldest son of Princess Anne Peter Phillips - and his Canadian wife Otam Kelly had a daughter. The girl became 12th in the British line of succession to the throne.
Coronation and beginning of reign
King George VI, Elizabeth's father, died on February 6, 1952. Elizabeth, while vacationing with her husband in Kenya, was proclaimed Queen of Great Britain.
The coronation ceremony of Elizabeth II took place at Westminster Abbey on June 2, 1953. This was the first televised coronation of a British monarch and is believed to have contributed significantly to the rise in popularity of television broadcasts.
After that, in 1953-1954. the queen made a six-month tour of the Commonwealth states, the British colonies and other countries of the world. Elizabeth II became the first monarch to visit Australia and New Zealand.
The queen with her six maids of honor
From left to right:
Lady Moira Hamilton (now Lady Moyra Campbell), Lady Anne Cox (now The Honorable Lady Glenconner), Lady Rosemary Spencer-Churchill (now Lady Rosemary Muir), Lady Mary Bailey-Hamilton (now Lady Mary Russell), Lady Jane Heathcote-Drummond- Willoughby (now Baroness de Willoughby de Eresby), Lady Jane Van-Tempest-Stewart (now The Honorable Lady Rayne)
Young Queen Elizabeth II
The queen began her political activity, which included the opening of Parliament and the reception of prime ministers. In the fifties of the twentieth century, Elizabeth II and Prince Philip made many visits to the territory of the United Kingdom and the countries of the Commonwealth.
Meeting of Elizabeth II with the heads of the Commonwealth countries in 1960
In the sixties, the Queen of England made her historic visit to West Berlin in full swing Cold war, and also invited the Japanese Emperor Hirohito on an official visit to Britain. Despite the turbulent social and political situation, she celebrated her Silver Jubilee in 1977. The celebrations were a success, with thousands of people celebrating the jubilee of Elizabeth II across the country.
The mature years of the reign of Queen Elizabeth II
Five years later, Great Britain took part in the hostilities against the Falkland Islands, during which Prince Andrew served in the Royal Navy as a helicopter pilot. In the eighties of the twentieth century, the first grandchildren of the Queen were born - Peter and Zara Phillips, the son and daughter of Anna, the royal princess and Captain Mark Phillips.
In 1992, a catastrophe occurred, as a result of which a fire destroyed part of Windsor Castle. In the same year, the marriages of Prince Charles, Prince Andrew and Princess Anne were dissolved. The Queen called 1992 "a terrible year." In 1996, the marriage of Prince Charles and Princess Diana was dissolved. Tragedy followed in 1997 when Diana died in a car accident.
2002 was a sad year for Queen Elizabeth II of England, as her sister Princess Margaret died.
The reign of Queen Elizabeth II
During the reign of Queen Elizabeth II of England, many changes were made in Great Britain. The Queen successfully fulfills her political duties as head of state, head of the Commonwealth of Nations, ceremonial duties, and duties of visits within the UK and abroad.
Elizabeth II introduced many reforms to the monarchy. In 1992, she proposed introducing taxes on profits and capital gains. She opened official royal residences to the people, including Buckingham Palace and Windsor Castle, in order to fund the maintenance of the royal family.
She supported the abolition of male primogeniture and single inheritance, which means that now the eldest child can inherit the throne, regardless of gender.
In 2012, the Queen of England celebrated her sixtieth anniversary of her reign with celebrations across the country, once again demonstrating the love of the British.
Queen Elizabeth II's clothing style
The style of the English queen can be conditionally divided into two periods: the style of the young queen - the style of conservative and elegant, and the style of the elderly queen, I would call it the style of the "cheerful grandmother" or even the "rainbow style", because the incredible number of changing colors in her suits and hats ... However, the English queen always loved colors.
Throughout her life, the main elements of Queen Elizabeth II's wardrobe were: dresses or suits of medium length, necessarily covering the knee, coats and raincoats in a-line cut, plus floor-length dresses for special events, as well as hats, always in tune with the suit, gloves, closed shoes , a brooch on a jacket and a string of pearls. The Queen of England has also always preferred short haircuts. Favorite colors are pink, lilac and indigo.
Queen Elizabeth II arrives at the Odeon Cinema, October 31, 1955. (Photo: Monty Fresco / Getty Images)
Queen Elizabeth II becomes after the death of her father in February 1952, and her coronation took place on June 2, 1952. At that time, namely in the 1940s and 1950s, dresses for the princess, and then the queen, were sewn by Norman Hartnell. And Elizabeth more than once appeared in public in dresses with fluffy skirts made of satin duchess or silk. Her wedding dress in ivory and decorated with silver threads is also designed by Norman Hartnell, as well as the design of the coronation dress.
From the mid-1950s and throughout the 60s, Hardy Amis sews for the Queen. It is he who brings a sense of simplicity to the queen's outfits, but this simplicity is only external, because behind it is a very complex cut. He sewed his first dresses for the Queen back in 1948, when Elizabeth asked him to create a wardrobe for a trip to Canada.
Since the 1970s, Ian Thomas, former assistant to Norman Hartnell, and now the owner of his own salon, sews for the Queen. His hallmark were flying chiffon dresses that appeared in the queen's wardrobe. After his death and until the end of the 1980s, Maureen Rose from the Ian Thomas design house sewed for Queen Elizabeth.
From the late 1980s to the mid-1990s, the Queen's wardrobe was replenished with outfits from John Anderson, because after his death his partner Karl Ludwig Rese became the Queen's court designer.
Since 2000, the youngest, in age, of Her Majesty's court designers, Stuart Parvin, a graduate of the Edinburgh College of Art, sews for Elizabeth II. In 2002, Angela Kelly becomes his assistant.
The Queen of England is 86 years old. But she still steadily fulfills all the duties assigned to her and appears in public, invariably following her style.
Queen Elizabeth II and Prince Philip, Duke of Edinburgh with their children, Prince Andrew (center), Princess Anne (left) and Charles, Prince of Wales near Balmoral Castle in Scotland. Queen Victoria's husband acquired Balmoral Castle in 1846. Queen Victoria often visited Scotland with her family, especially after the death of her husband in 1861, and Balmoral is still a favorite vacation spot for the royal family to this day. (Photo by Keystone / Getty Images). September 9, 1960.
Hobby
Among the interests of the queen are dog breeding (among them corgi, spaniels and labradors), photography, horse riding, as well as travel. Elizabeth II, maintaining her prestige as the queen of the Commonwealth, travels very actively through her possessions, and also visits other countries of the world (for example, in 1994 she visited Russia). She has more than 325 foreign visits (during her reign, Elizabeth visited more than 130 countries). Since 2009, she began to engage in gardening. Besides English, he also speaks fluently French
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Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret took pictures with penguins at the London Zoo. (Photo: Hulton Archive / Getty Images). Around 1938
Elizabeth II does not give interviews. Nevertheless, the press periodically flashes interesting facts about this extraordinary woman, which allow us to look at the most famous reigning person of our time from an unexpected side, we have chosen the most striking, in our opinion, moments.
The celebration of the royal birthday in 1981 was overshadowed by an unpleasant event: near the horse on which Elizabeth was sitting, receiving the parade, shots rang out, making everyone around her shudder. The queen, to the delight of the audience, did not even raise an eyebrow and managed to stay in the saddle.
Self-control came in handy for her a year later, when, while waiting for the police, for several minutes she had to talk with a madman who managed to get into the chambers.
In 1945, Elizabeth Alexandra Maria Windsor, the future Queen of England, served as a junior officer as a mechanic in the reserve battalion of the British army. Obviously, the example of the "fighting" grandmother inspired the young princes William and Harry, who also did not shy away from military service.
Family values for Elizabeth II is not an empty phrase. For the sake of her son's happiness, she overstepped strict rules and blessed the second marriage of Prince of Wales Charles with socialite Camilla Parker Bowles, despite the hype about this.
On April 17, 2013, the Queen attended the British politician's funeral for the second time in the history of her reign: she said goodbye to Margaret Thatcher.
Despite her solid image, the queen is no stranger to female coquetry and small weaknesses. Slick paparazzi more than once caught the moment when she at social events, without being embarrassed by the crowd and her high position, publicly corrected her makeup. Etiquette is etiquette, and a real queen should look gorgeous!
The Queen's passion is horses and corgi dogs. In her youth, Elizabeth rode well, but now she pays more attention to charming red dogs, which thanks to her have become one of the symbols of the British monarchy.
Elizabeth II is the oldest English monarch in history and is the second longest in the UK throne. She is also the oldest female acting head of state.
The rose variety Rosa "Queen Elizabeth" was named in honor of Elizabeth II.
Films about Elizabeth II
In 2004, the film Churchill: The Hollywood Years - "Churchill Goes to War!" Was released, where Neve Campbell played the role of Elizabeth.
In 2006, the biographical film "The Queen" was released. The role of the queen was played by actress Helen Mirren. The film is a BAFTA winner in the Best Picture category. Actress Helen Mirren, who starred in the film, won Oscars, Golden Globes, BAFTAs, and the Volpi Cup at the Venice Film Festival for Best Actress. In addition, the film was nominated for an Oscar for Best Picture.
In 2009, Channel 4 filmed the 5-episode fiction miniseries The Queen, directed by Edmund Coulthard, Patrick Reems. The Queen at different periods of her life was played by 5 actresses: Emilia Fox, Samantha Bond, Susan Jameson, Barbara Flynn, Diana Quick.
On July 27, 2012, a television broadcast of the opening ceremony of the Summer Olympic Games in London began with a video featuring James Bond (Daniel Craig) and the Queen (cameo). At the end of the video, they both jump with parachutes from a helicopter over the arena of the Olympic Stadium. On April 5, 2013, for this role, the Queen was awarded the BAFTA Award for Best Performance as a James Bond Girl.
In architecture
The Queen Elizabeth Alley in the Esplanade Park in Singapore is named after the Queen.
The famous Big Ben, the symbol of London, has been officially called “Elizabeth's Tower” since September 2012.
The Duford Bridge, built in 1991, is also named after the Queen.
On August 1, 2013, the Elizabeth II Olympic Park was opened in London.
Lifetime monuments
Statue of Elizabeth II in Ottawa, Parliament Hill, Canada
Statue in Regina, Saskatchewan, erected in 2005
Statue in Great Windsor Park
Photo gallery
Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret Rose (1930-2002) with their parents at the Boy Scout Parade at Windsor Castle, Berkshire. (Photo: / Getty Images). 1932
King George and Queen Elizabeth with Princesses Elizabeth (center) and Margaret, as well as members of the royal family in full uniform, on the balcony of Buckingham Palace after their coronation, May 12, 1937.
The Queen, Princesses Elizabeth and Margaret Rose and the Royal Archers, 1937
Princess Elizabeth with a pony in Windsor Park, Berkshire. Photo taken on April 21, 1939
King George VI with his wife, Queen Elizabeth and children, Princess Elizabeth and Margaret at Royal Lodge, Windsor, April 11, 1942. (Photo: Lisa Sheridan / Studio Lisa / Getty Images)
Princess Elizabeth rides from Buckingham Palace in London to the Horse Guards parade wearing a military hat bearing the emblem of the Grenadier Guard. (Photo: Getty Images). June 12, 1947
Queen Elizabeth II attends a parade in Central London on June 7, 1952. (Photo: William Vanderson / Fox Photos / Getty Images)
Queen Elizabeth in Buckingham Palace park. 1939 year
Princess Elizabeth, March 1945
With newborn Prince Charles, December 1948
Princess Elizabeth with her son Prince Charles. September 1950
Queen Elizabeth II en route to Westminster to preside over the Opening of Parliament following her accession to the throne, 4 November 1952
Princess Anne at the coronation of her mother
The Queen with her newborn son Prince Andrew. Buckingham Palace. March 1960
In 1960, the Queen had a second son, Prince Andrew, and in 1964, a third son, Prince Edward.
